Oxford Upset with Police Savings Delay

Last night’s Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of Oxford Town Council included a discussion around Police Services. The Town concluded their review of Police Services and voted in February to support a Cumberland County Council proposal.

That proposal would see three positions cut from the RCMP across the county, reducing Oxford’s coverage by the equivalent of one-half position and result in the Pugwash detachment being closed and consolidated at Oxford.

Nova Scotia Justice Minister, Mark Furey, responded to the County and Town’s decision by committing only to a portion of the proposal - changing one RCMP position into a Public Service Employee (or civilian) position as a court liaison officer.

The decision to cut two full positions is on hold until Furey receives updated crime statistics for 2018 and 2019. Likewise, the closure of the Pugwash detachment won’t happen until Furey can ‘consult’ with the RCMP, municipal councils, advisory boards and the local communities - though the timeline and procedure for those consultations was not spelled out in his letter.

That news did not sit will with Oxford Town Council, since the key motivation for reducing police services was the reduction in costs.

Oxford Mayor Trish Stewart said the town’s budget for police services is 38% of the total, while the provincial average is around 31%. The more than half-million dollars spent on the RCMP to service a town of some 1300 residents is a significant expense.

Deputy Mayor Rick Draper asked for staff to pressure Furey to take action on the matter. With the items raised by Minister Furey in his letter to Council, it’s unlikely the town will see much, if any, savings in their police services contract for another year or two at the earliest.

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